It's one of the most common questions in language learning — and one of the hardest to answer honestly. The truth is that there is no single number, no universal timeline, and no shortcut that works for everyone. But there are real factors that shape how quickly you progress, and understanding them can help you make smarter decisions about how you learn.
Let's start with the word itself.
Brenda de Jong-Pauley, MA
Director, The English Center
Published July 2026
At The English Center, we see fluency as being about flow. Fluent English moves easily and naturally, even when minor mistakes are made along the way. It's not the same as accuracy or correctness. A fluent speaker gets their message across without losing momentum. An accurate speaker may know every rule in the book, but still hesitate, stumble, or lose the thread under pressure.
Linguists and language educators often use the CEFR scale (Common European Framework of Reference) to describe language ability. It runs from A1 (complete beginner) to C2 (near-native mastery). Most people use the word "fluent" to describe something around B2 and above: comfortable, independent communication in most situations.
The gap between "can have a conversation" and "sounds polished and professional" is significant — and it's exactly where many intermediate speakers get stuck.
Another reliable marker is internal: are you still translating from your first language, or are you beginning to think directly in English? That shift (gradual and uneven as it tends to be) is one of the clearest signs that you are genuinely internalizing the language rather than just performing it.
The most widely cited data comes from the U.S. Foreign Service Institute (FSI), which trains American diplomats in foreign languages. Their research suggests that English speakers need roughly 600 to 750 hours of study to reach professional working proficiency in a language like Dutch or French — and significantly more for languages like Arabic or Mandarin.
The reverse also holds: native speakers of languages closer to English tend to reach fluency faster. A Dutch professional, for example, already has a considerable head start; not just because of their many years of English in school, but simply because our languages are both in the Germanic language family.
But FSI figures are based on full-time, immersive study under structured conditions. For most working professionals, that kind of intensive schedule is not realistic. Which brings us to the more useful question.
This is the most obvious factor, but it's worth being direct about: progress is directly tied to meaningful exposure and practice. Fifteen minutes a day on a language app will not get you to professional-level fluency in any reasonable timeframe. Consistent, quality practice — ideally involving real speaking and listening — compounds over time in a way that passive study does not.
An hour of focused conversation with feedback is worth more than five hours of watching TV in English. Not that passive exposure has no value — it does — but it shouldn't be mistaken for the kind of deliberate practice that moves the needle. If you are rarely challenged, you are rarely improving.
A professional who already uses English at work every day is in a very different position from someone who rarely encounters the language. Many of The English Center's clients are already at B2 or above — they communicate effectively, but they want to sound more natural, more precise, or more confident in high-stakes situations. For them, the question isn't fluency from scratch; it's refinement. That's a different journey, and often a faster one than people expect.
Fluency for a software developer presenting at international conferences looks different from fluency for a manager running weekly team meetings. The more clearly you define what you actually need English for, the more efficiently you can work toward it. Vague goals produce vague progress.
It is entirely possible to speak English for years and quietly reinforce the same mistakes again and again. Linguists call these fossilized errors — ingrained habits of grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary, and delivery that have gone uncorrected for so long that they feel natural to the speaker, even when they sound wrong to native ears. These mistakes and habits have become habituated. They are automatic behaviors that we do not think about. Common examples include consistently mispronouncing certain sounds, misusing prepositions, applying the wrong stress pattern to words, and hesitation. Stopping to look for words – to think and rethink what to say next – is a fluency downgrade. Fluent speakers are smooth and fluid.
Fossilized errors are not a sign of low ability. They are extremely common among intermediate and advanced speakers, and they are precisely the kind of thing that standard language apps and passive self-study cannot address. Without a trainer who listens carefully and gives targeted feedback, these patterns tend to persist indefinitely — and in professional settings, they can quietly undermine how you're perceived.
Structured coaching, especially with someone who understands your specific professional context, accelerates progress because it targets what actually needs work rather than moving through a generic curriculum.
Some people pick up languages more naturally than others. Factors like working memory, phonological sensitivity, and comfort with ambiguity all play a role. That said, aptitude is far less important than consistency and the quality of your input. Most people significantly underestimate what they can achieve with the right approach.
And the right approach starts with motivation. Research in language acquisition consistently shows that learners who are intrinsically motivated make faster and more sustained progress than those driven purely by external pressure. But motivation isn't always something you simply have or don't have. For many professionals, learning English isn't a personal passion — it's a requirement.
This is where ownership of the process matters. Psychologist Daniel Pink, in his research on what actually drives human performance, found that for complex tasks, autonomy — control over how you approach something — is a more powerful motivator than rewards or incentives. Applied to language learning: if you have to improve your English regardless, giving yourself agency over how you do it changes the experience significantly. That might mean choosing material that connects to something you already care about, setting your own benchmarks, or defining what "good English" means for your specific life and work rather than working toward someone else's idea of it.
This is also one of the reasons that private, personalized coaching tends to produce better results than a fixed curriculum. It isn't only that the content is more relevant — it's that the learner becomes an active participant in the process. A good trainer doesn't just deliver lessons; they build a collaboration in which the student's goals, preferences, and pace actively shape the direction of the training. That sense of ownership tends to make the work feel less like a requirement and more like something worth doing well.
Private coaching produces faster results than self-study, largely because it is personalized, accountable, and efficient. But it costs more. Group classes are more affordable but less tailored. Self-study tools — apps, podcasts, graded readers — are low-cost but require strong self-discipline and don't replicate real conversation. There is no objectively right answer for everyone; it depends on your goals, your timeline, and what you can realistically sustain.
For most professionals, English learning happens in the margins — a lesson here, some podcast listening on the commute, the occasional meeting in English. Progress is real but slow, and the gaps between practice sessions mean that a lot of consolidation time is also lost to forgetting.
Intensive training works differently. By concentrating a significant number of hours into a short period — days or weeks rather than months — it creates a kind of immersion that is difficult to replicate through weekly lessons alone. You are not just learning more; you are learning in a way that maintains momentum, builds on each session while it is still fresh, and forces you to operate in English for sustained periods rather than in short, isolated bursts.
We've written in more detail about how intensive English courses work and who they're best suited for.
This matters particularly for professionals who have a specific deadline — a new role, an upcoming presentation, a move to an English-speaking environment — or for those who have been at the same level for an extended period and want to push forward more deliberately.
If this sounds like you, consider an Intensive English Course, or an Intensive Business English Course.
To make this more concrete: take a Dutch professional at B2 — comfortable in English, using it regularly at work, but aware that their communication could be more natural, more precise, more confident, and more fluent. As we mentioned before, Dutch speakers have a significant head start with English; the two languages share enough structure and vocabulary that the underlying groundwork is already solid. From that starting point, with regular private coaching and consistent daily use, reaching C1 within six to nine months is a realistic expectation. In practical terms, that typically means around 40 to 60 hours of trainer-led sessions — roughly one to two hours per week — alongside daily professional use and a few additional hours of focused independent practice each week. It won't happen automatically, but it is well within reach for someone who engages seriously with the process.
For someone at the same starting point but taking a general group course with limited personal feedback — and with little English exposure outside of class — the same journey is likely to take considerably longer. Two to three years is not unreasonable, and without targeted correction and meaningful challenge, progress may plateau well before C1.
It's also worth knowing that language learning is not linear. Plateaus are a normal part of the process, and a period of apparent stagnation can precede a genuine leap forward. That said, if you have been at roughly the same level for a long time despite consistent effort, it may be worth examining whether your current approach is still challenging you enough.
So, if you're wondering how long it will take to become fluent in English, the more useful questions to ask yourself are: What does fluent English actually look like for my work? And what's the most effective way for me to get there?
At The English Center all of our training is private and personalized to your goals, so you can make meaningful progress right now. Browse our business English courses to learn more about improving your fluency at work, or general English training to help your English flow in everyday life.
It depends on your starting point, how consistently you practise, and what you mean by fluent. For a professional already working at B2, reaching C1 within six to nine months can be realistic with regular private coaching, daily use of English, and focused independent practice. Starting from a lower level will usually take considerably longer.
There isn't a universal number. While research often refers to hundreds of hours of structured study, the quality of those hours matters far more than the total. Speaking regularly, receiving expert feedback, and using English in real situations generally produce faster progress than passive study alone.
Yes. Adults often have clear goals, strong learning strategies, and plenty of opportunities to apply English in professional settings. While children may acquire languages differently, adults can make excellent progress with consistent practice and the right support.
Many people would describe B2 as fluent because you can communicate independently in most everyday and professional situations. However, if your goal is to sound polished and confident in high-level business communication, C1 is often a more appropriate target.
The quickest progress usually comes from regular speaking practice combined with personalised feedback. Real conversations, targeted correction, and deliberate practice help develop fluency much more effectively than simply consuming English through apps, videos, or podcasts.
Language apps are useful for building vocabulary and maintaining a daily learning habit, but they cannot replace real conversation or personalised feedback. Most learners make faster and more lasting progress when apps are combined with speaking practice and expert coaching.
Many learners reach a plateau because they continue using familiar language without being challenged. Targeted feedback helps identify fossilised errors and habits, allowing you to focus on the specific changes that lead to further improvement.
Fluency is the ability to communicate smoothly and naturally without constantly stopping to search for words or translate from your first language. Accuracy is about using correct grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Strong communicators develop both, but fluency does not require perfection.
I also have one SEO suggestion. Since your article targets "How long does it take to become fluent in English?", I'd add one more FAQ that directly targets another common search:
Yes. Research does not suggest that adults lose the ability to become highly proficient in another language. While adults may learn differently from children, consistent practice, meaningful conversation, and expert feedback are far more important than age.
Ready to take the next step? You can work with an experienced English trainer online or at one of our locations:
Amsterdam (near Vondelpark or Central Station)
Amstelveen (easy parking, quiet setting)
The Hague (Zuid-Holland’s choice for English training)
Hoofddorp (close to Schiphol, central, accessible, modern)
Prefer a virtual course? Contact us about English Center courses online
About the author:
Brenda de Jong-Pauley is the founder of The English Center in the Netherlands, where she has worked with international professionals since 2009. Originally from the United States, she lives and works in the Netherlands, supporting professionals in developing clear, confident English for real business situations.
Brenda holds a Master’s degree in Psychology (focused on persuasive communication) and a Bachelor’s in Education. She specializes in high-level business communication and spoken English.
Edited by A. Roberts, Trainer with The English Center. She holds a BA in English Literature.
The English Center is a CEDEO-recognized training provider, working with professionals and teams from international and Dutch companies and municipalities.
Yes—intensive English courses can accelerate language learning. Research in language acquisition and cognitive psychology suggests that concentrated, immersive learning helps learners retain more, retrieve language more automatically, and build speaking confidence faster than lessons spread over long intervals. That doesn't mean intensive courses are the best choice for everyone, but they are particularly effective when learners have clear goals and need rapid progress.
Intensive English learning is effective because it aligns more closely with how the brain acquires and retains language than the way language is traditionally taught. This helps explain why so many professionals come to us after studying English for years, sometimes even decades. They use English regularly at work, yet something is still missing. They hesitate before speaking, lose confidence in business meetings, and know exactly what they want to say but can't produce it naturally in the moment. The problem usually isn't ability. It's the way the learning has been structured.
Brenda de Jong-Pauley, MA
Director, The English Center
Published June 2026
Intensive English learning is a concentrated period of immersive language study—typically several hours a day over one to several weeks—designed to accelerate progress in spoken fluency, confidence, and real-world communication. Unlike regular weekly lessons, the intensive format prioritizes sustained exposure and repeated language retrieval, giving learners more opportunities to consolidate new language while reducing the forgetting that often occurs between lessons.
There's a meaningful difference between knowing a language and being able to use it fluently in real time. Weekly lessons, spread over months or years, are good at building knowledge — vocabulary, grammar rules, reading comprehension. But fluency requires something different: the ability to retrieve language automatically, without stopping to think.
Psychologists call this automaticity. It's what happens when a skill moves from conscious, effortful processing to something fast and instinctive. Think about learning to drive. At first, every action requires deliberate thought. With enough practice, it becomes second nature. Language works the same way — but reaching that point requires a type and volume of practice that occasional lessons rarely provide.
One of the most important insights in language acquisition research comes from linguist Stephen Krashen, whose input hypothesis argues that we acquire language most effectively when we are exposed to it at a level just slightly above our current ability — consistently, and in volume. It's not just about how many hours you study in total. It's about how often, and how intensively.
This is where intensive English learning has a significant structural advantage. A learner who studies for three hours a day over one week is not doing the same thing as a learner who studies for one hour a week over three months — even though the total hours are similar. The concentrated exposure keeps the language active in working memory, builds momentum, and creates the conditions for real acquisition rather than surface retention.
That said, intensive learning isn't the right fit for everyone. Some people genuinely thrive with slower, more consistent practice — a lesson or two per week over several months, with time in between to absorb and reflect. For certain learning styles, that rhythm works well. Practical factors matter too: not everyone can step away from work for a full week, and not every employer's training budget is structured to support a concentrated course. A weekly program spread over time can be a better fit when time or budget constraints make an intensive format difficult to arrange.
Where intensive English learning tends to make the most difference is when motivation is high, the goal is clear, and there is a natural window of time to invest. In our experience, the participants who get the most out of an intensive course tend to share a few common traits: they have a specific reason to improve quickly, they are willing to make mistakes in the service of progress, and they are able to commit their focus fully for the duration of the course.
The profiles we see most often are telling. Many participants are new expats in the Netherlands who need to raise their spoken English quickly — for a new role, or to strengthen their business communication in a competitive job market. Others are Dutch professionals whose workplace is shifting to English, or who simply want to perform with greater confidence and precision in meetings, presentations, and client conversations. Some are between jobs or on a career break, and recognize a rare window of time to invest seriously in their own development. Others are visiting the Netherlands on holiday and choose to combine their trip with an intensive course — a particularly satisfying way to spend a summer week in Amsterdam. What these learners have in common is not a particular background or level, but a readiness to engage fully and a clear sense of what they want to achieve.
For professionals who need to improve workplace communication, presentations, meetings, negotiations, or executive fluency, our intensive Business English course can be fully tailored to their role, industry, and communication goals.
In the 1880s, German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus mapped what he called the forgetting curve: the rate at which new information is lost when it is not reinforced. His research showed that without review, people forget a significant portion of new material within days — sometimes within hours.
Intensive English learning works partly because it naturally defeats the forgetting curve. When you are immersed in English for several hours a day, you are constantly reinforcing what you learned in the morning during the afternoon session. There is no week-long gap in which new vocabulary or structures can fade. The brain receives the signal, repeatedly, that this information matters — and retains it accordingly.
There is another factor that doesn't always make it into discussions of language learning methodology, but which we see clearly in practice: emotional engagement accelerates memory.
Research by applied linguist Zoltán Dörnyei on motivation in language learning consistently shows that learners who are personally invested in their goals — who have a clear reason to improve, and who feel supported rather than judged — make faster and more lasting progress. A private intensive course creates exactly these conditions. The learning is personal, the feedback is immediate, and the environment is one of encouragement rather than performance anxiety.
When a learner feels psychologically safe, they take more communicative risks. They try out new structures rather than retreating to what feels safe. And it is precisely those moments of productive stretching — what linguists sometimes call pushed output — that drive real progress.
At The English Center, our intensive courses are built around these principles, even if we don't always use the academic language to describe them. Our trainers work with participants for several hours a day, entirely in English, at a level calibrated to challenge without overwhelming. Feedback is immediate and constructive. Every session builds directly on the last.
Participants don't just learn more English — they start to think in English, which is when the real shift happens. By the end of a week, many describe a feeling of having broken through a barrier that years of occasional study hadn't moved.
That's not magic. It's what concentrated, personalized, immersive practice does to the brain.
It's worth being realistic, though: one intensive course, however successful, is rarely the end of the journey. Language learning is a long-term process, and fluency develops over time. What intensive English learning does is accelerate you to a new level — meaningfully and quickly. Alongside the linguistic progress, most participants experience a significant boost in confidence. And confidence, as Dörnyei's research suggests, is itself a powerful motivator. Learners who feel they are making real progress are far more likely to continue — whether through follow-up courses, regular practice at work, or simply engaging more willingly in English conversations they might previously have avoided. The momentum the course creates is real; the goal is simply to keep it going.
There is no universal answer. Your progress depends on your starting level, the number of training hours, your willingness to speak English throughout the course, and how much you continue practicing afterwards. Most learners notice improvements in speaking confidence, fluency, speed of response, and overall ease of communication rather than a dramatic change in grammar knowledge. An intensive course is designed to help you make meaningful progress quickly—not to make you fluent overnight.
Intensive English courses are particularly effective for motivated learners with clear goals. This includes professionals preparing for new responsibilities, expats adapting to an international workplace, managers who regularly communicate in English, and anyone who wants to overcome hesitation when speaking. The strongest results usually come when learners are ready to engage actively and make English a priority for a short period.
Neither approach is inherently better—they simply serve different purposes. Weekly lessons support gradual, long-term development, while intensive courses are designed to accelerate progress over a shorter period. Because learners use English repeatedly over consecutive days, they reinforce new language before it is forgotten and build greater momentum. For many professionals with an urgent goal, this concentrated approach is especially effective.
The ideal length depends on your goals, starting level, and availability. Some learners choose a one-week intensive course to prepare for an immediate challenge, while others benefit from two or three weeks of concentrated training. If your objective is lasting improvement in spoken fluency, pronunciation, or Business English, a longer program generally allows more practice, feedback, and consolidation. During your intake, your trainer can recommend a realistic number of hours based on your needs.
Yes. Beginners often make rapid progress because they are immersed in English from the start and receive constant guidance and feedback. However, expectations should be realistic. A beginner will build a strong foundation in communication, vocabulary, and listening skills, but fluency develops over time. Intermediate and advanced learners often experience the greatest gains in confidence, speed, and natural communication.
Yes. Intensive pronunciation training allows you to identify recurring habits and replace them through repeated practice and immediate correction. Many learners improve not only individual sounds but also word stress, rhythm, intonation, and overall clarity. The goal is not to sound like a native speaker, but to communicate more naturally, confidently, and effectively.
Absolutely. A private intensive Business English course can focus entirely on your professional communication needs, including meetings, presentations, negotiations, networking, interviews, telephone conversations, and email communication. Because the training is fully personalized, you spend your time practicing situations that are directly relevant to your work rather than following a generic textbook.
Yes. Online intensive courses offer the same personalized instruction, speaking practice, and immediate feedback as face-to-face training. The same experienced trainers teach both our online and in-person courses, and many learners choose a hybrid format that combines the two. Online and hybrid training also eliminate travel time and make it easier to fit intensive English learning into a busy schedule. The quality of the learning depends far more on the interaction with your trainer than on the location.
Research consistently shows that learners make faster progress when they receive frequent practice, immediate feedback, and instruction that matches their current level. Private intensive courses make this possible because every lesson is tailored to your goals, profession, and communication challenges. Rather than following a fixed syllabus, your trainer focuses on the language and situations that will have the greatest impact on your confidence and performance.
If you've been studying English for years without reaching the level of fluency you want, the answer is probably not more of the same. What tends to make the difference is a sustained period of intensive English learning — with an experienced trainer who understands business communication and can give you immediate, honest feedback. The research is clear: concentration, immersion, and emotional engagement are not just helpful additions to language learning. They are the conditions under which real and lasting progress happens.
That's exactly what a private intensive English course is designed to provide.
You can work with a professional native-speaker trainer and get real-world practice online and at our locations in:
Amsterdam (near Vondelpark or Central Station)
Amstelveen (easy parking, quiet setting)
The Hague (Zuid-Holland’s choice for English training)
Hoofddorp (close to Schiphol, central, accessible, modern)
Prefer a virtual course? Contact us about English Center courses online
About the author:
Brenda de Jong-Pauley is the founder of The English Center in the Netherlands, where she has worked with international professionals since 2009. Originally from the United States, she lives and works in the Netherlands, supporting professionals in developing clear, confident English for real business situations.
Brenda holds a Master’s degree in Psychology (focused on persuasive communication) and a Bachelor’s in Education. She specializes in high-level business communication and spoken English.
Edited by A. Roberts, Trainer with The English Center. She holds a BA in English Literature.
The English Center is a CEDEO-recognized training provider, working with professionals and teams from international and Dutch companies and municipalities.
Further reading
After 17 years of coaching international professionals, I've reached one clear conclusion: most workplace communication problems are not language problems. As AI tools transform business communication across every industry, this has never been more apparent — or more important.
Brenda de Jong-Pauley, MA
Director, The English Center
June 2026
Not long ago, business English writing courses focused heavily on grammar, vocabulary, and email structure.
That made sense. Writing a clear, professional email in English required a significant amount of skill and effort. Many professionals worked hard to sound more polished, more concise, and more confident in writing.
Then AI arrived.
Today, AI business communication tools such as Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot, and Grammarly can draft an email in seconds. They can improve grammar, suggest vocabulary, adjust tone, fix typos, and even rewrite a message for a specific audience. If you want to get the most out of these tools, our guide to writing effective AI prompts is a good place to start.
This raises an important question:
If AI can write the email, what skills still matter?
The answer may surprise you. The most difficult communication challenges at work were never really about writing. They were about people.
Imagine you are a personal assistant supporting a senior executive. A colleague requests a meeting with your manager. Unfortunately, the executive's schedule is already full for the next three weeks.
At first glance, this seems like a simple writing task. You could ask AI to draft a response:
"Unfortunately, Mr. Johnson is unavailable during the requested period."
Grammatically, the email is fine. But communication is not simply about transferring information. The colleague requesting the meeting may already feel ignored. The project may be politically important. The person making the request may be a key stakeholder whose support will be needed later.
Suddenly, the challenge is no longer writing an email. The challenge is preserving a relationship while delivering an unwelcome message. A skilled communicator might choose a different approach:
"Thank you for reaching out. Unfortunately, Mr. Johnson's schedule is fully committed over the coming weeks. I understand the importance of this discussion and would be happy to explore alternative dates or another way to move the conversation forward."
The information is largely the same. The relationship outcome may be very different. AI can help generate either version. Only a human can decide which one is appropriate.
Many professionals think emails exist primarily to exchange information. In reality, most workplace communication serves two purposes simultaneously.
The first is obvious: to communicate information.
The second is less obvious: to manage a relationship.
Consider these examples:
"We need the report by Friday."
"This report is becoming urgent."
"Could you please prioritize this report? It would help us stay on schedule."
All three messages communicate roughly the same information, yet they create different emotional reactions.
One sounds directive. One sounds concerned. One sounds collaborative.
None of them are necessarily wrong. The question is which response is most likely to achieve the desired outcome with this particular person in this particular situation. That is not a grammar question. It is a judgment question.
One of the most remarkable things about human communication is that the same sentence can mean different things depending on who says it, who receives it, and what has happened before.
Imagine receiving this message:
"We need to talk."
How would you interpret it? Most people answer: "It depends."
Exactly. It depends on whether the sender is your manager, a colleague, a client, or a friend. It depends on whether your last interaction was positive or negative. It depends on the history of the relationship. Human beings naturally interpret messages through context.
AI struggles with this. An AI system can analyze words on a screen. It cannot fully understand years of trust, frustration, loyalty, disappointment, office politics, or personal history unless those details are explicitly provided.
This limitation becomes especially important in leadership support roles.
Personal assistants and executive assistants often communicate on behalf of other people. They are not simply sending emails. They are managing expectations, protecting relationships, representing leadership, and helping organizations function smoothly. Success often depends on understanding factors that never appear in the email itself.
As AI becomes better at producing language, the value of purely technical writing skills may decline. The communication skills AI can't replace, however, become more important than ever.
These include:
For Dutch professionals working internationally, this can be particularly important. Dutch communication is often admired for its clarity and efficiency. At the same time, international business environments sometimes require a broader communication range. The goal is not to become less Dutch — it's to develop more options.
A skilled communicator knows when to be direct, when to be diplomatic, when to push, and when to pause.
The future of AI business communication is unlikely to be humans competing with AI. Instead, it will be humans using AI to handle language while focusing their attention on the things that matter most:
Relationships. Context. Trust. Judgment.
AI can help you write an email. It cannot tell you whether that email will strengthen a relationship, damage one, or miss the point entirely. That remains a uniquely human skill.
In a world where everyone has access to the same technology, understanding people may be the most valuable communication skill of all. This is equally true for professionals working at the cutting edge of AI itself. Even those building and deploying these tools need to remember that technology operates within human systems — systems built on trust, relationships, and judgment. For IT professionals working in global teams, the communication skills AI can't replace are just as critical as technical expertise.
If you are looking for personalized, private training to improve your professional English, our Business English course is perfect for you!
You can work with a professional native-speaker trainer and get real-world practice at our locations in:
Amsterdam (near Vondelpark or Central Station)
Amstelveen (easy parking, quiet setting)
The Hague (Zuid-Holland’s choice for English training)
Hoofddorp (close to Schiphol, central, accessible, modern)
Prefer a virtual course? Contact us about English Center courses online
About the authors:
Brenda de Jong-Pauley, MA is the founder and director of The English Center. For more than 17 years, she has coached international professionals, executive assistants, managers, and business leaders to communicate more effectively in English.
Edited by A. Roberts, Trainer with The English Center. She holds a BA in English Literature.
With thanks to DJ Human, Head of AI at Raw Power Labs, for his generous input on this piece.
For business professionals, public speaking in 2026 is moving away from polished slide decks and toward clear thinking, authentic delivery, and audience engagement. AI is changing how presentations are prepared, but it is also making human communication more valuable. As organizations place greater emphasis on leadership, collaboration, and influence, strong speaking skills are becoming an increasingly important career asset.
Brenda de Jong-Pauley, MA
Director, The English Center
May 2026
Professionals who can communicate ideas clearly, inspire confidence, and connect with audiences are often better positioned for advancement.
These are the top public speaking trends shaping business communication in 2026.
Audiences are becoming more skeptical of over-scripted or AI-generated messaging. Leaders who sound human, personal, and genuine are more trusted than those who sound polished but generic. (Aspect)
Companies increasingly value leaders who can explain complex ideas through stories. Storytelling helps people remember information, build trust, and support change initiatives. (The Times)
Professionals are using AI to rehearse presentations, test ideas, improve clarity, and receive speaking feedback before important meetings. AI is increasingly functioning as a private communication coach. (pavone.ai)
In an AI-saturated world, people want direct access to leaders. Executives are expected to speak more frequently, appear on video, participate in town halls, and share their own perspectives. (Aspect)
Research continues to show that clarity strongly predicts audience engagement. Speakers who explain complex ideas simply are more effective than those who try to sound sophisticated. (arXiv)
Dense PowerPoint presentations are falling out of favor. One idea per slide, stronger visuals, and less text are becoming standard practice. The speaker—not the slides—is expected to carry the message. (Effective Presentations)
Leaders must be effective both in person and on Zoom, Teams, and hybrid event platforms. Camera presence, vocal energy, and online audience engagement are increasingly important. (pspeakers.com)
As AI makes content creation easier, standing out through speaking becomes more valuable. A strong keynote, client presentation, or town hall often has more impact than another article or LinkedIn post. (Forbes)
Long monologues are giving way to discussion, Q&A, workshops, and audience interaction. People expect participation rather than passive listening. (Vibe Agency)
As AI handles more routine communication, the uniquely human aspects of speaking become more important: voice, intonation, pacing, emphasis, pauses, and emotional connection. Many speakers already have the vocabulary and grammar; what separates good from great is how they deliver the message. (The Center for Leadership Studies)
The dominant trend for 2026 is that AI is making content cheaper and human communication more valuable. The strongest business speakers are not necessarily the most knowledgeable. They are the ones who can explain ideas clearly, tell compelling stories, and sound genuinely human. (Forbes)
If you're serious about polishing your presentation skills, our Spoken Business English Course is tailored perfectly to your goals.
Do you need to improve your presentation skills in a hurry? You'll find plenty of quick, actionable tips in our blog post: How to Improve Your Presentation Skills Fast
About the author:
Brenda de Jong-Pauley is the founder of The English Center in the Netherlands, where she has worked with international professionals since 2009. Originally from the United States, she lives and works in the Netherlands, supporting professionals in developing clear, confident English for real business situations.
Brenda holds a Master’s degree in Psychology (focused on persuasive communication) and a Bachelor’s in Education. She specializes in high-level business communication and spoken English.
The English Center is a CEDEO-recognized training provider, working with professionals and teams from international and Dutch companies and municipalities.
To celebrate The English Center's 17th birthday this May, we've put together exactly 17 tips — one for every year we've been helping professionals find their voice in English. They're practical, targeted, and based on real patterns we see in professionals every day.
Brenda de Jong-Pauley, MA
Director, The English Center
May 2026
If you take only one piece of advice from this entire list, make it this one.
Speaking more slowly than feels natural is the simplest and most immediately actionable change we give our students — and it works fast. The moment you slow down, you become easier to follow. Your words sound clearer, your ideas sound more structured, and you give your listener time to process what matters.
Many professionals believe fluency equals speed. In reality, speed often reduces impact. When you speak quickly, you compress sounds, swallow word endings, and rush transitions — even if your grammar and vocabulary are strong.
What to do instead:
Slow down most at structure points:
A well-placed pause does two things: it signals to your listener that something important is coming, and it gives you a moment to compose your next thought.
Pausing feels unnatural at first, especially if silence makes you uncomfortable. But if you take note of what makes a great speaker so effective, you’ll notice how consistently they use pauses to build anticipation and drive home the point.
What to do: Before you make a point, take a breath. One second of silence before a key message can make it land twice as hard. Giving a presentation? When you step onto the stage, pause and look at the audience before you begin speaking.
English is a stress-timed language. That means intonation — the rise and fall of your voice — carries meaning, not just emotion. Flat intonation makes it harder for listeners to follow you. Misplaced stress can actually change the meaning of what you say.
In the example below, we see one sentence which can convey 5 very different meanings, depending on intonation.
“I didn’t say he stole the money.”
“I didn’t say he stole the money.”
“I didn’t say he stole the money.”
“I didn’t say he stole the money.”
“I didn’t say he stole the money.”
“I didn’t say he stole the money.”
Using intonation effectively signals confidence, not just in your speaking ability but in the truth or value of what you’re saying.
What to do: Identify the key word in each sentence and stress it. Let your pitch fall at the end of statements. Rising intonation on a statement makes it sound like a question (and that quietly undermines your authority).
Waiting until your English is "perfect" before speaking confidently is a trap. Perfection is not the goal. Impact is.
The question to ask yourself is not "Was that grammatically correct?" but "Did my message land?"
What to do: Shift your benchmark. After a meeting or presentation, ask yourself: Was I clear? Was I understood? Did I move things forward? That's what matters.
Long, complex sentences are hard to deliver fluently and equally hard to follow. When you're speaking, shorter sentences give you more control, and they're easier on your listener.
What it often sounds like: "So what I wanted to say is that I think we should probably try to move forward with the plan, but of course there are still a few things we need to look at before we can really commit to anything."
What works better: "I think we should move forward. There are a few things to check first. But the direction is clear."
What to do: Aim for one idea per sentence. If a sentence has more than two clauses, consider splitting it.
Writing out and memorizing a full script feels safe, but it rarely works in real conversations. You can't predict what others will say, and if you lose your place, you lose your confidence.
Instead, think of phrases as Lego blocks you can use to build your points appropriately in any situation.
What to do: For your next meeting or presentation, prepare three to five phrases for each stage: opening, making points, handling questions, and closing. Practice them until they feel natural — not scripted.
Over-explaining is one of the most common spoken English habits we see in professionals. It often comes from wanting to sound thorough or precise. In practice, it dilutes your message and tests your listener's patience.
What to do: Lead with your point. Pause. Add detail only if your listener asks for it. Resist the urge to qualify everything.
Try this: Answer a question in one sentence. Stop. Let the silence work for you.
Broad, flexible words like thing, stuff, get, do, make, or good are useful when you’re still getting to grips with English. But for advanced speakers, vague language is a limitation. It can make you sound less decisive and less professional than you actually are.
At an advanced level, the goal is conciseness: to say more with fewer words. One of the fastest ways to achieve this is by upgrading to stronger verbs.
Compare these:
"We need to deal with the things that are causing the delay." (11 words, vague)
"We must resolve the bottlenecks." (5 words, precise and professional)
What to do:
Instead of "making it better," try “optimizing”. Instead of "giving a talk," try “delivering a presentation”. Specific verbs reduce your word count while increasing your authority. Precision in your language signals precision in your thinking.
The beginning and end of any conversation or meeting carry disproportionate weight. A strong opening signals confidence and sets the tone. A clear close ensures people leave knowing what happens next.
These moments are also highly predictable, which makes them easy to prepare ahead of time.
What to do: Build a personal set of phrases for opening and closing. Practise them until they feel automatic. A few examples:
Disagreeing in a second language is uncomfortable for many professionals. Without the right phrases, you may stay silent when you shouldn't — or come across as more blunt than you intend.
Useful phrases:
What to do: Choose two or three phrases that feel natural to you. Practise them out loud until they're ready to use.
Signposting means guiding your audience through your presentation with clear verbal markers. It tells people where you are, where you're going, and what's most important.
Without signposting, even well-prepared content can feel hard to follow.
Examples:
What to do: Map out your next presentation and add a signpost at every transition. Your audience will thank you.
Asking for clarification may be uncomfortable, but in professional settings it’s essential that everyone is on the same page. The problem is that many non-native speakers either avoid asking altogether, or ask in a way that sounds unsure, or gives the impression they weren’t paying attention.
Professional phrases:
What to do: Replace vague responses like "Sorry?" or "What do you mean?" with structured clarification questions. It sounds more confident and assures the other person that you’re taking their point seriously — while avoiding misunderstandings.
Direct translation from your native language into English, word for word, often produces sentences that are technically understandable but not quite right. Over time, this can become a persistent habit that limits your fluency.
This is particularly common for Dutch speakers, where sentence structure, word order, and idiom often differ significantly from English.
For example: 'Ik heb het rapport geschreven" translates word for word to "I have the report written," which is of course incorrect.
What to do: Instead of translating, learn English in chunks — fixed phrases, collocations, and sentence patterns that you can use directly. The more you train yourself to think in English, the more natural your spoken English will become.
Many learners focus on individual sounds — the th, the short i, the v versus w — and while these matter, they're not the main reason communication breaks down. Rhythm, stress, and spoken patterns have a much bigger impact on how natural and clear you sound.
What to do: Instead of drilling isolated sounds, practice full phrases and sentences with natural stress and rhythm (ie. prosody, the music of language). Shadow native speakers. Focus on how English flows, not just how individual words are pronounced.
You can read more about prosody here.
Strong spoken Business English is built on a foundation of well-chosen phrases. These are the expressions that come quickly, sound natural, and make you sound like someone who knows exactly what they're doing.
Categories worth building:
What to do: Start a phrase bank — a simple document or notebook where you collect and review useful expressions. Add to it regularly. Review it before important meetings or presentations.
Recording yourself is one of the most effective — and most avoided — self-improvement tools available. It's uncomfortable, but it's also invaluable to your progress in spoken English.
Listening back lets you hear what others hear: your pace, your filler words, your intonation patterns, and the moments where your message loses clarity.
What to do: Record a one-minute spoken summary of something work-related. Listen back. Notice what you'd change. Repeat weekly.
Most feedback non-native speakers receive focuses on grammar. While grammar matters, it's rarely the main reason communication breaks down in professional settings. Clarity, structure, and delivery matter far more.
Asking specifically for feedback on clarity — not just correctness — gives you much more actionable insight.
What to do: After a presentation or important meeting, ask a trusted colleague: "Was my message clear? Was anything hard to follow?" That kind of feedback is where real improvement starts.
You don't need to work on all 17 of these at once. Pick one. Practice it deliberately for a week. Then move to the next.
Small, consistent changes to your speaking habits will take you further than any amount of grammar study. The goal is clear, confident, impactful communication, not perfection.
If you are looking for personalized, private training to improve your professional English, our Spoken Business English Course is perfect for you!
You can work with a professional native-speaker trainer and get real-world practice at our locations in:
Amsterdam (near Vondelpark or Central Station)
Amstelveen (easy parking, quiet setting)
The Hague (Zuid-Holland’s choice for English training)
Hoofddorp (close to Schiphol, central, accessible, modern)
Prefer a virtual course? Contact us about English Center courses online
About the author:
Brenda de Jong-Pauley is the founder of The English Center in the Netherlands, where she has worked with international professionals since 2009. Originally from the United States, she lives and works in the Netherlands, supporting professionals in developing clear, confident English for real business situations.
Brenda holds a Master’s degree in Psychology (focused on persuasive communication) and a Bachelor’s in Education. She specializes in high-level business communication and spoken English.
Edited by A. Roberts, BA, English Trainer.
The English Center is a CEDEO-recognized training provider, working with professionals and teams from international and Dutch companies and municipalities.
People mumble when speech loses physical clarity — the mouth barely moves, consonants lose definition, vowels become compressed, and words blur together. It is one of the most common communication problems in modern English, and it affects native and non-native speakers alike. The causes are usually physical and behavioral, which means they are also trainable.
Brenda de Jong-Pauley, MA
Director, The English Center
May 2026
Most people assume mumbling is caused by a strong accent, poor English, shyness, or nerves. In many cases, the real problem is simpler than that. And some native English speakers are dramatically harder to understand than advanced second-language speakers.
Understanding why people mumble usually comes down to a combination of low mouth movement, weak consonants, compressed vowels, excessive speed, and weak rhythm. Small changes in articulation, pacing, and vocal clarity can dramatically improve intelligibility — often within weeks.
Mumbling is not the same as having an accent. It is also not the same as natural connected speech.
Many highly intelligible speakers use connected speech constantly — "gonna," "wanna," linked sounds, reduced sounds, fast rhythm. That is normal spoken English.
Mumbling is different. Mumbling happens when speech loses clarity, articulation, energy, and structure. The result is speech that sounds muddy, swallowed, compressed, and difficult to process.
As communication coaches, we often hear comments like:
"I know he's intelligent, but I can barely understand him."
That is an intelligibility problem, not an intelligence problem.
If you're not sure whether this applies to you, our post on why you're hard to understand in English covers the broader picture — including delivery, language choices, and communication intelligence.
Mumbling usually comes from physical and behavioral speaking habits — not from lack of intelligence or English ability. In some cases, it may also reflect a deliberate — if unconscious — choice of register. Speaking in a relaxed, low-energy way can signal ease and informality, the linguistic equivalent of showing up in jeans and sneakers. In certain British social contexts, compressed and understated speech signals class and insider status. And anyone who has spent time around teenagers will recognise the performance of disengagement — vocal energy withheld as proof of not caring. In all three cases, withholding clarity is a kind of social signal. The problem is that it transfers the burden to the listener, which is the opposite of good communication. Here are the most common reasons why people mumble.
This is one of the biggest causes of unclear speech. Some speakers barely move their lips, jaw, or tongue. As a result, consonants and vowels are never fully formed.
Signs to watch for: speech that sounds trapped in the mouth, weak consonants, blurred word boundaries, low vocal projection.
Fix: Use slightly more physical energy when speaking. Focus on opening the mouth more, shaping vowels clearly, and allowing consonants to "pop." A mirror can help — many people are surprised by how little their mouth actually moves. You don't need exaggerated stage pronunciation. You simply need clearer sound formation.
Consonants carry a huge amount of intelligibility information. If they disappear, listeners lose critical sound cues.
Common problems: weak final consonants, softened T and D sounds, disappearing consonant clusters, blurred word endings.
Example: Compare "projec" with "project," or "nex week" with "next week." Small consonant losses can dramatically reduce clarity.
Fix: Think about lightly energizing consonants rather than hitting them aggressively. Clear speech is not harsh speech.
Some speakers reduce nearly every vowel toward a neutral "uh" sound, creating speech that sounds flat and indistinct.
Example: When vowels lose contrast, "ship," "sheep," "chip," and "cheap" can begin to sound dangerously similar.
Fix: Good articulation is not about sounding dramatic — it is about preserving useful sound contrast. Listeners need acoustic contrast to process speech efficiently.
Fast speech reduces precision, articulation, and listener processing time. Many professionals speed up unconsciously when they feel nervous, think quickly, or speak passionately.
Fast speech often feels fluent to the speaker but exhausting to the listener.
Fix: Slightly slower speech almost always sounds clearer, calmer, and more authoritative — especially in meetings and presentations.
English depends heavily on stress patterns. Listeners use stress to identify important words, key ideas, and sentence structure. When stress disappears, speech becomes harder to follow.
Example:
Flat rhythm: "we need to review the numbers before friday"
Clearer rhythm: "We NEED to review the NUMBERS before FRIDAY."
Fix: Don't try to stress every word equally. English is a contrast-based language — some words carry more communicative weight than others.
Stress and intonation are so central to intelligibility that they deserve their own deep dive. Our post on prosody in English is a good next step if you want to go further on this.
Some people are difficult to understand not because of pronunciation, but because they overload listeners with information. Long, tangled explanations reduce clarity quickly.
Example: "So basically what happened was after we reviewed the timeline and spoke with the client and looked at the previous report…" — the listener gets lost before the main point arrives.
Fix: Lead with the conclusion first, then explain. In professional communication, clarity usually improves when structure improves.
Modern communication habits may actually be encouraging unclear speech. Possible reasons include constant online meetings, poor microphones, multitasking while speaking, reduced face-to-face communication, and compressed social media speech patterns.
Many people now speak with less projection and less physical energy than previous generations. This becomes especially problematic on Zoom and Teams calls, where microphones already reduce speech clarity.
Different English-speaking cultures often prioritize different speech habits — pace, articulation, rhythm, vowel clarity, consonant precision. Understanding why people mumble in some contexts and not others often comes down to these cultural and phonetic differences:
Insight: Good intelligibility is usually less about accent and more about articulation, pacing, rhythm, and listener awareness. A strong accent can still be extremely clear if those foundations are stable.
Once you understand why people mumble, the fixes become much more straightforward. Improving clarity usually doesn't require perfect pronunciation — it requires better speaking habits.
Move your mouth more — use slightly more physical energy when speaking.
In general, pop your consonants — especially T, D, K, P.
Shape your vowels clearly — preserve sound contrast.
Slow down slightly — especially in professional communication.
Use pauses — pauses improve structure and give listeners time to process.
Improve sentence stress — help listeners identify the important information.
Record yourself — most people are unaware of how unclear they sound until they hear themselves.
Watch great speakers — notice their mouth movement, pacing, pauses, consonant clarity, and vocal energy.
The goal is not perfect pronunciation. The clearest speakers are not always the most "native sounding." They are usually the most listener-aware.
Mumbling is not just a pronunciation issue. Or a second language issue. Understanding why people mumble reveals a combination of physical speech habits, weak articulation, poor pacing, low speech energy, and unclear communication structure.
The good news is that these are trainable skills. Small changes in mouth movement, consonant clarity, pacing, rhythm, and structure can dramatically improve intelligibility — often within weeks.
If you'd like personalized help with any of the above, our English Accent Training is designed specifically for professionals who want to communicate with more clarity and confidence.
About the author:
Brenda de Jong-Pauley is the founder of The English Center in the Netherlands, where she has worked with international professionals since 2009. Originally from the United States, she lives and works in the Netherlands, supporting professionals in developing clear, confident English for real business situations.
Brenda holds a Master’s degree in Psychology (focused on persuasive communication) and a Bachelor’s in Education. She specializes in high-level business communication and spoken English.
Edited by A. Roberts, BA, English Trainer.
The English Center is a CEDEO-recognized training provider, working with professionals and teams from international and Dutch companies and municipalities.
Do people ask you to repeat yourself? Or worse — do they just look confused, or quietly switch off? If you've ever wondered why you're hard to understand in English, the answer is probably not your grammar or vocabulary. More often, it's a lack of clarity.
Brenda de Jong-Pauley, MA
Director, The English Center
Published May 2026
The biggest intelligibility blockers fall into four areas: sound (articulation, pronunciation), delivery (pace, pauses, intonation), language choices (structure, length, jargon), and communication intelligence (audience awareness, politeness, body language). Fix those, and your English becomes immediately easier to follow.
The real issue is not your CEFR level. It's your clarity. Many professionals already operate at an intermediate to advanced level — they know the words and the grammar rules. What breaks down is how those words are delivered and structured in real time.
Clarity is a performance skill. You can think of it as an art form.
Everything in this article comes directly from coaching sessions with advanced professionals who use English as a second language every day.
In a recent session, a client told me about a colleague he finds very hard to understand — especially in international video meetings. He assumed it was the colleague's accent. But as we explored the issue, the real culprit became clear: it wasn't the accent at all. It was articulation.
I suspected this when I asked whether the colleague tends to move his mouth much when he speaks. My client's response was immediate: "Yeah. That's exactly it. He mumbles."
Most professionals don't struggle to be understood because their English isn't good enough. They struggle because their delivery makes their English hard to process. And while we can't help the mumbler — he's not our client — we can help you become aware of the habits that may be quietly undermining your own intelligibility.
Clarity is essential, but it’s only one part of the puzzle. To build confidence and speak English fluently, see our 10 practical fluency tips.
What's happening: Sounds are not fully formed. Everything sounds muddy and trapped.
Fix: Practice overarticulating. Grab a mirror and watch as you put your mouth to work. Say: "Next week, we need to present the project results" — first with exaggerated articulation, then in your usual delivery. Find the happy medium between the two.
Insight: Most articulation issues are not language problems — they're physical habits. If the mouth doesn't move, the sound can't be properly produced. It's like trying to dance with your feet tied together.
What's happening: Your first language influences your sounds, stress, and rhythm. This can reduce intelligibility even when your grammar and vocabulary are strong.
Fix: Focus on word stress, sentence stress, and key sounds — not perfection. Prioritise getting the English "music" right, and you'll be much better understood.
Insight: Listeners don't struggle primarily because of mispronounced sounds. They struggle when stress and rhythm are off. That's job one.
Here's a quick illustration of just how much stress matters. Take this sentence and read it with completely flat intonation first:
"I didn't say he stole the money."
Now shift the stress each time, following the italics below — and notice how the meaning changes with each version:
Six words. Six completely different meanings. That's the power of stress and intonation.
It's also worth correcting common sound substitutions — for example: ship and sheep, rice and lice, wine and vine. Small sound differences that carry big meaning.
Stress and intonation are so central to intelligibility that they deserve their own deep dive. If you want to go further on this, our post on prosody in English is a good next step.
What's happening: No pauses create a wall of sound. Poorly placed pauses break meaning.
Example: "What we need to do is review the numbers and the timeline and the risks and also the budget…"
Fix: Pause between ideas, not inside them. Use pauses to signal structure and give listeners time to process what they're hearing.
What's happening: Too fast is hard to process. Too slow loses energy.
Fix: Speak at a controlled, steady pace. Slightly slower is usually better.
What's happening: Rising intonation makes statements sound like questions. Flat intonation makes speech monotonous.
Example: "We finished the report?" — said as a statement, but sounds like a question.
Fix: Use falling intonation for statements, and vary your pitch to highlight key points.
What's happening: "Um," "uh," "like," "you know" — used too frequently, they erode authority and slow comprehension.
Fix: Replace fillers with silent pauses. This immediately increases both clarity and authority.
Insight: Fillers are rarely about missing vocabulary. They're usually a pacing and confidence issue.
What's happening: Restarting sentences too often breaks flow and loses the listener.
Fix: Finish the thought. Correct yourself only if the meaning is genuinely affected.
What's happening: Ideas are not logically ordered.
Example: "So what I mean is like the thing from yesterday it was not really clear and we should maybe…"
Fix: Use a simple structure: point → explanation → example.
Insight: If your thinking is unclear, your sentence structure will be unclear. Language exposes thinking very quickly.
What's happening: Long sentences are hard to process in speech.
Fix: Keep sentences short and complete. One idea per sentence.
What's happening: Too much technical language excludes listeners.
Example: "We need to optimize the cross-functional alignment to leverage scalable outcomes."
Fix: Use jargon only when necessary. Prefer clear, shared vocabulary.
What's happening: Figurative language can confuse international listeners.
Fix: Use idioms sparingly. Clarity comes first.
What's happening: Indirect phrasing reduces impact and can obscure responsibility.
Fix: Prefer active voice. "We decided…" instead of "It was decided…"
What's happening: No signposting makes it hard for listeners to follow your logic.
Fix: Guide your listener explicitly:
What's happening: Using the same style for every listener, regardless of context.
Fix: Adjust your speed, vocabulary, and level of detail based on who you're speaking to.
What's happening: Excessive hedging reduces clarity. Too little softening sounds abrupt.
Fix: Aim for direct and respectful — a clear message with light softening where needed.
What's happening: Non-verbal signals conflict with your message.
Fix: Keep gestures simple and aligned with what you're saying. Maintain steady eye contact.
What's happening: Too much detail hides the main message.
Example: Answering a simple question with a long explanation before ever stating the conclusion.
Fix: Decide the one thing your listener must understand — and lead with it.
What's happening: Too soft, too loud, or inconsistent volume forces listeners to work harder.
Fix: Aim for a stable, medium volume. Your listener should never have to adjust to you.
What's happening: No clear start, no clear takeaway — the listener doesn't know where they are in your message.
Fix:
Clarity is not about saying more. It's about deciding what matters — and leaving the rest out.
You don't need perfect English. You need clear, controlled, listener-focused communication.
Most professionals improve fastest not by learning more English, but by using what they already know with more precision and intent.
Apply these consistently, and your English becomes easier to understand — often within weeks, not months.
If you'd like personalized help with any of the above, our English Accent Training is designed specifically for professionals who want to communicate with more clarity and confidence.
One topic from this list deserves its own conversation: mumbling. The causes are more surprising — and more fixable — than most people expect. We'll be going deeper on that soon.
About the author:
Brenda de Jong-Pauley is the founder of The English Center in the Netherlands, where she has worked with international professionals since 2009. Originally from the United States, she lives and works in the Netherlands, supporting professionals in developing clear, confident English for real business situations.
Brenda holds a Master’s degree in Psychology (focused on persuasive communication) and a Bachelor’s in Education. She specializes in high-level business communication and spoken English.
Edited by A. Roberts, English Trainer.
The English Center is a CEDEO-recognized training provider, working with professionals and teams from international and Dutch companies and municipalities.
Preparing for a job interview is demanding enough in your first language. You need to think quickly, explain your experience clearly, respond to follow-up questions, and present yourself with confidence.
Brenda de Jong-Pauley, MA
Director, The English Center
April 2026
When the interview is in English, the challenge becomes more complex. Many professionals know they are qualified for the role, but worry that their English will make them sound less clear, less confident, or less experienced than they really are.
This guide is for professionals who want to prepare effectively for a job interview in English. It explains what makes English-language interviews more difficult, what employers are really assessing, and how you can improve your answers, delivery, and overall interview performance.
A job interview in English is not simply a normal interview with translated answers. It places significant pressure on your thinking, speaking, and listening, all at the same time.
In your first language, you can usually focus on the content of your answer. In English, you may also be thinking about:
This is why even highly capable professionals can perform less strongly in English than they would in their own language.
You may know exactly what you want to say, but still struggle to say it clearly, concisely, and naturally in the moment. As a result, your interview performance may not fully reflect your actual level of experience or competence.
In an English-language interview, employers are not only listening for correct grammar and use of vocabulary. They are assessing whether you can communicate effectively in a professional setting.
They are often paying attention to:
This means that strong interview performance in English depends on more than language knowledge alone. It also depends on spoken clarity, composure, and the ability to present your value convincingly.
In a competitive job market, this matters. Strong experience alone is not always enough. You also need to explain your value clearly and make a good professional impression in the interview itself.
If you are applying for roles in the Netherlands, language expectations can vary significantly by sector and role type. See our overview of English and Dutch language levels for jobs in the Netherlands.
Professionals preparing for interviews in English often run into these difficulties.
When you are searching for language while also trying to answer well, it is easy to become less concise. Some candidates ramble, repeat themselves, or lose the main point of their answer.
You may know what you contributed, but find it harder to explain this precisely in English. As a result, your answers can sound less concrete or less impressive than they should.
Many candidates can prepare for common interview questions, but lose clarity when the interviewer asks something unexpected or probes further.
Under pressure, your English may become less accurate, less fluent, or less natural than usual. This is especially common in high-stakes interviews. We attribute this to the "affective filter, " which points out that stress can negatively impact word retrieval.
Some professionals notice that in English they sound simpler, flatter, or less confident than they do in their own language. This can affect how interviewers perceive experience, authority, and leadership potential.
Sometimes the issue is not grammar or vocabulary, but clarity and style of delivery. If pronunciation (accent), pace, stress, or rhythm make you harder to follow, that can affect your overall impact.
Recognising these issues is useful, because they can all be improved with focused preparation.
Good preparation in English should combine interview content with spoken performance. Here are the most important areas to focus on.
Before you prepare answers, make sure you are clear on:
This helps you tailor your answers instead of giving responses that are too general. If you are applying for roles in the Netherlands, it helps to understand how interviews are structured and what employers currently prioritize. See our overview of job interviews in the Netherlands in 2026.
You do not need to memorise every answer word for word, but you should prepare for the questions you are most likely to hear.
These often include:
Prepare your answers in clear points, not full scripts. This will help you sound more natural and flexible. Use STAR or SPAR to build the little stories that will meaningfully answer interviewer questions.
Behavioural questions are common in professional interviews. These require you to describe real situations from your experience.
A useful way to prepare is with a clear structure such as:
Some candidates also use SPAR:
Prepare a small number of strong examples in advance. Choose stories that show:
This helps you avoid vague answers and makes it easier to respond clearly under pressure.
This is one of the most important steps.
Many candidates prepare mentally, but not orally. The problem is that an answer that sounds fine in your head may become unclear, hesitant, or too long when spoken.
Practising out loud helps you notice:
Record yourself on your phone, or practise with another person. Or practice in front of a mirror.
Interviewers often ask follow-up questions to test depth, clarity, or consistency.
For example:
Strong interview preparation means preparing not only your first answer, but also the likely next question.
Interview preparation is not only about content. Your mindset before the interview also affects how clearly and confidently you perform.
Many non-native English speakers put extra pressure on themselves in interviews. They feel they need to sound flawless, respond immediately, and avoid every mistake. In reality, that pressure often makes performance worse. It becomes harder to think clearly, find the right words, and stay structured.
A better goal is not perfect English, but clear and professional communication.
Before the interview, it helps to remind yourself of a few key points:
A short pre-interview routine can also help. For example:
A calm, prepared mindset will not remove all nerves, but it can make it much easier to think clearly and speak more effectively in English. It also helps to remember that interviewing is a professional skill. Even if one opportunity does not lead to an offer, the preparation and experience still help you become more confident and effective in future interviews.
Many professionals think they need more advanced English, when in fact they mainly need clearer spoken communication.
A few practical strategies can make a big difference:
Long sentences are harder to manage under pressure. Shorter sentences usually sound clearer and more confident.
Phrases like these help create structure:
This makes your answer easier for the interviewer to follow.
You do not need perfect English to perform well in an interview. You need English that is clear, professional, and easy to understand.
If you need a second to think, a short pause is better than filling the silence with too many unnecessary words.
If there are certain ideas you know you need to express, practise saying them clearly and naturally in English.
Interviewers assess more than your words. Your posture, facial expression, eye contact, and overall presence also affect how confident and professional you appear. In addition to preparing your answers in English, it helps to think about how you come across physically in the interview.
Useful basics include
Non-verbal communication will not compensate for unclear answers, but it can strengthen the overall impression you make.
In English-language interviews, content is important, but delivery also matters.
If your pronunciation is unclear, your speaking pace is uneven, or your rhythm breaks down under pressure, interviewers may need more effort to follow what you are saying. This can affect both understanding and overall impression.
Many non-native English speakers prefer not to think about it, but in interviews, people are judged not only on what they say, but also on how they say it. If your English is hesitant, your sentence structure becomes unclear under pressure, or your pronunciation is difficult to follow, this can affect how capable, confident, or senior you appear. In some cases, candidates may even be judged as less intelligent, which is not a fair or valid reflection of their real ability.
At the same time, interviewers are also making a more practical assessment: how easy will this person be to work with in English, and how clearly will they communicate as part of a team? Will colleagues understand them easily, or will communication often require extra effort? Fair or not, both kinds of judgment can influence the outcome of an interview.
Useful areas to work on include:
You do not need to sound British or American. The goal is not accent perfection. The goal is to be clear, professional, and easy to understand.
If pronunciation and delivery are a major issue for you, our English Accent Training Course may also be relevant.
Sometimes interview coaching alone is not enough.
If your English still limits how clearly or confidently you can perform, broader language support may be needed first or alongside interview preparation.
This may be the case if you need extra help with:
In those situations, a short period of focused training can make the interview coaching much more effective. Our Intensive Business English Courses can be useful when you need faster progress in a limited time.
Here are some common mistakes that reduce interview performance.
This often makes candidates sound unnatural and less flexible when the interviewer changes direction.
Long answers are harder to control, especially in a second language. Aim for relevance and clarity.
This can lead to unnatural phrasing, vague wording, or unclear structure.
Be specific when describing your role, contribution, and results.
Knowing what you want to say is not enough if you cannot say it clearly under pressure.
Grammar matters, but interview success depends just as much on structure, relevance, confidence, and spoken clarity.
Some professionals can prepare effectively on their own. Others benefit from expert support, especially when the interview is important, competitive, or time-sensitive.
Coaching can be particularly useful if:
Private coaching can help you improve your answer structure, spoken clarity, confidence, and overall interview performance in a focused, practical way.
If you want role-specific support, see our Job Interview Coaching in English page.
A job interview in English is not only a test of your experience. It is also a test of how clearly and confidently you can communicate that experience under pressure.
That is why good preparation matters. The more clearly you can explain your background, structure your answers, and respond in real time, the stronger your interview performance is likely to be.
You do not need perfect English. But you do need English that helps you present yourself professionally, explain your value clearly, and respond with confidence.
If you prepare the right content, practice speaking it out loud, and work on the areas that affect clarity most, you give yourself a much better chance of performing well.
Before you get to the interview, make sure your CV is working for you too. See our ATS-friendly CV tips to make sure your resume reaches human eyes.
If you want private, role-specific help preparing for a job interview in English, visit our Job Interview Coaching in English page.
If you are not sure what kind of preparation would help most, you can also book a Free Intake with a Trainer.
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About the author:
Brenda de Jong-Pauley is the founder of The English Center in the Netherlands, where she has worked with international professionals since 2009. Originally from the United States, she lives and works in the Netherlands, supporting professionals in developing clear, confident English for real business situations.
Brenda holds a Master’s degree in Psychology (focused on persuasive communication) and a Bachelor’s in Education. She specializes in high-level business communication and spoken English.
Edited by A. Roberts, BA, English Trainer.
The English Center is a CEDEO-recognized training provider, working with professionals and teams from international and Dutch companies and municipalities.
Living in the Netherlands and traveling through Japan taught me more about both countries than I ever expected, including the fascinating story of how deeply they are connected.
Brenda de Jong-Pauley, MA
Director, The English Center
Published July 2025
Speak with a teacher first. Practical advice, no sales pressure.
Are you an intermediate or advanced learner who's looking to improve your Spoken English? Check out our Private Personalized English Courses.
Exploring Nagasaki on my second trip to Japan with my fiancé, we took a short walk from our hotel to the artificial island of Dejima — the historic home and trading post of Dutch merchants, during sakoku, Japan's long period of self-imposed isolation, when the Netherlands was the only European nation permitted to trade.
At just 15,000 square metres, Dejima was home to around 20 Dutch traders, officials, interpreters, and even livestock: chickens, cows, pigs, and at one point, an elephant. A single guarded bridge connected the island to the mainland. Between 1641 and 1854, that bridge was also Japan's only link to the Western world.
We enjoyed a quiet nighttime stroll around the tiny island, rebuilt in traditional methods and furnished with European comforts — spacious tatami rooms with antique desks and chairs where you'd normally expect a kotatsu — marvelling at the significance of this place in the lasting friendship between Japan and the Netherlands.
The evidence of that friendship is not confined to Dejima. Earlier that day, we'd been admiring a set of porcelain sake cups in an antique shop. The owner insisted they were Delftware — though upon later research, having already purchased them, we suspect they were Japanese-made. We don't mind either way. But the difficulty in telling them apart speaks volumes about the influence of Japanese style and craftsmanship on Dutch porcelain.
The Dutch market loved Japanese ceramics, and Japan happily increased production to keep up with exports. When a restaurant host asked where we were from and we replied "Oranda" (Holland), he delightedly pointed out a painting of Dutch ships in the lobby, asking if we'd visited Dejima yet, or Huis Ten Bosch — a Dutch theme park complete with windmills and canals, fittingly located in the same Nagasaki Prefecture.
The Dutch influence extends well beyond Nagasaki. Vincent van Gogh was profoundly inspired by Japanese woodblock prints, and their mark on his work is unmistakable. You even see it in modern pop culture. While Nijntje (Miffy) certainly looks right at home among the likes of Hello Kitty, her popularity among Japanese consumers feels like yet another small nod to this centuries-long friendship.
As a South African expat living and working in the Netherlands — and a lover of all things Japan — I am nonetheless an outsider and an observer of both cultures. I find the relationship fascinating.
Let's start with directness. As a private English trainer, I work a lot with Dutch businesspeople, and Dutch directness is always an important topic. The Dutch say exactly what they mean — no padding, no softening, no reading between the lines. For Brits and Americans, who tend to wrap difficult messages in layers of diplomacy (or "verbal bubblewrap," as I like to call it), this can take some getting used to. Japanese communication sits at the other end of the spectrum, often prioritising harmony to a degree that can make directness feel almost impolite. If Dutch is a straight line, English is a gentle curve — and Japanese, at times, is a very elegant detour.
Japanese workplaces also tend to be notably hierarchical, with long hours often worn as a badge of honour. The Dutch, by contrast, are relaxed about authority and fiercely protective of their free time. These are real differences. But they're also part of what makes my experience of both places so rich — each culture holds up a mirror to the other, and I find myself more curious and more self-aware for having spent time in both.
I never take for granted how accessible Japanese culture is to me here. In late winter, I paid a visit to Lodder Bonsai in Harmelen — a fourth-generation family nursery near Utrecht, Europe's leading bonsai specialist since 1896. That was the start of a new hobby.
Closer to home, I delight in the sakura lining the streets of Amstelveen and Hoofddorp each spring. I love that I can pick up my favourite Japanese snacks at the local Asian supermarket — even if the Euro price makes them a more occasional treat than they were at my third konbini visit of the day in Japan. (Like every foreign visitor, I simply cannot get over the joy of Japanese convenience stores.) These small things are daily reminders that Japanese culture isn't something I have to travel 10,000 kilometres to access, but woven into the neighbourhood I live and work in. Working with students from Amstelveen's Japanese expat community makes that connection feel personal in a way I genuinely treasure.
As the sakura comes into bloom at Amstelveen's Kersenbloesempark, I find myself thinking about that little bridge at Dejima. The cherry blossom, in Japanese tradition, is a symbol of new beginnings and the beautiful impermanence of things. But some things are less impermanent than others. The friendship between Japan and the Netherlands has outlasted empires, survived isolation, and quietly woven itself into the fabric of daily life in ways that are easy to miss. It's worth taking a moment to notice. In a world that has never truly been free of war and conflict, our long-standing friendships are worth protecting and celebrating.
Ready to polish your business English? Our private, personalized business English courses help you communicate with clarity and confidence in any professional setting.
You can work with a professional native-speaker trainer and get real-world practice at our locations in:
Amsterdam (near Vondelpark or Central Station)
Amstelveen (easy parking, quiet setting)
The Hague (Zuid-Holland’s choice for English training)
Hoofddorp (close to Schiphol, central, accessible, modern)
Prefer a virtual course? Contact us about English Center courses online.
About the author:
Alexandra is an English trainer from South Africa, now living and working in the Netherlands. She holds a BA in English Literature.
Brenda de Jong-Pauley is the founder of The English Center in the Netherlands, where she has worked with international professionals since 2009. Originally from the United States, she lives and works in the Netherlands, supporting professionals in developing clear, confident English for real business situations.
Brenda holds a Master’s degree in Psychology (focused on persuasive communication) and a Bachelor’s in Education. She specializes in high-level business communication and spoken English.
The English Center is a CEDEO-recognized training provider, working with professionals and teams from international and Dutch companies and municipalities.
Brenda de Jong-Pauley, MA
Director, The English Center;
A. Roberts, BA
English Trainer
April 2026
Why bother with storytelling? Facts inform. Stories connect.
A well-told story makes you memorable and persuasive — in interviews, presentations, meetings, or casual conversation.
For private, personalized training in this essential skill, consider Business Storytelling Coaching.
Speak with a teacher first. Practical advice, no sales pressure.
30–60 seconds. Maximum 90. A tight story is a strong story.
S — Situation — Set the scene. Make it visual.
P — Problem — What was the challenge, tension, or dilemma?
A — Action — What did you (or someone) actually do?
R — Result — What happened?
Optional extras
Hook — Open before Situation: give away the climax, then build back up to it.
Example: “AI stole my job, and transformed my career. Here’s what happened.”
Choices — Add before Action: what were the options? What was at stake?
Insight — Add after Result: what's the takeaway?
*”Kill your darlings” is a fun way of saying cut out the bits that you love, but don’t add any real value to the overall piece.
Ready to polish your business English? Our private, personalized business English courses help you communicate with clarity and confidence in any professional setting.
You can work with a professional native-speaker trainer and get real-world practice at our locations in:
Amsterdam (near Vondelpark or Central Station)
Amstelveen (easy parking, quiet setting)
The Hague (Zuid-Holland’s choice for English training)
Hoofddorp (close to Schiphol, central, accessible, modern)
Prefer a virtual course? Contact us about English Center courses online.
About the author:
Brenda de Jong-Pauley is the founder of The English Center in the Netherlands, where she has worked with international professionals since 2009. Originally from the United States, she lives and works in the Netherlands, supporting professionals in developing clear, confident English for real business situations.
Brenda holds a Master’s degree in Psychology (focused on persuasive communication) and a Bachelor’s in Education. She specializes in high-level business communication and spoken English.
The English Center is a CEDEO-recognized training provider, working with professionals and teams from international and Dutch companies and municipalities.
